Buyer Experience

Appraisal Assessment of the property’s market value, for the purpose of obtaining a mortgage and performedby a licensed appraiser

Assessed Value Value placed upon property for property tax purposes by the tax collector.

Closing Costs Expenses incidental to a sale of real estate, such as loan fees, appraisal fees, title insurance and escrow fees

Closing Statement The statement which lists the financial settlement between Buyer and Seller, and the costs each must pay.

Contingency Certain criteria that have to be met in order to finalize the sale.

Conventional Mortgage A mortgage or Deed of Trust not obtained under a government insured program such as FHA or VA.

Credit Money given to a buyer from a seller through escrow at closing.

Escrow A neutral third party that handles the transfer of any money during the sale of a home from initial deposit to final funding and closing.

Earnest Money Deposit Buyers in California usually deposit 3% of the purchase price to show that the buyer is serious about purchasing the home. It is usually refundable in the event a contingency in the sales contract cannot be met.

Fixed Rate Mortgage A loan on which the interest rate and monthly payment do not change.

Home Warranty A policy that covers certain repairs (e.g. plumbing/heating) of a newly purchased home for a period of time, typically one year.

Preliminary Title Report A report showing the condition of title before a sale or loan transaction. After completion of the transaction, a new title insurance policy will be issued.

Title Insurance Insurance to protect the buyer and lender against losses arising from disputes over the ownership of a property.

Recording Fees Money paid to the lender for recording a home sale with the local authorities, thereby making it part of the public records.

6200 Linton Boulevard, Delray Beach, 33484

Grades: Pre-K 3 to grade 12
Students: 1,700 students
Annual Tuition: $26,524 to $33,386
Student-Teacher Ratio: 6:1

The American Heritage School is consistently rated as one of the top private schools in Palm Beach County (they also have a Broward County Campus). The school focuses on giving students a fully formed, well-rounded education across academics (123 AP/Honors courses), the arts (60 fine arts courses), and athletics and extracurricular activities (over 85 teams and student-run clubs). The 40-acre campus is equally impressive, with multimedia production studios, college-level science, robotics, engineering labs, an instructional court room for the pre-law program, five athletic fields, a junior Olympic swimming pool, and a 12,000 square foot gym.

336 NW Spanish River Boulevard, Boca Raton, 33431
 
Grades: Pre-K 3 to grade 12
Students: 262 students
Annual Tuition: $12,500 to $21,850
Student-Teacher Ratio: 8:1

The first of three schools on our list that offer small, intimate settings for a child's education (fewer than 300 students), Grandview has spent the past 25 years preparing its students for higher education. Graduates have found success at storied institutions across the country, including Boston College, Cornell, Princeton, University of California - Berkeley, University of Florida, and Yale. Class size averages 12 students per class, allowing for a straightforward, hands-on learning environment. The 9-acre campus is situated in a residential neighborhood in northeast Boca, a mile from the Atlantic Ocean.

Grades: Pre-K to grade 8
Students: 239 students
Annual Tuition: $17,155 to $27,465
Student-Teacher Ratio: 9:1

The Gulf Stream School has built its reputation of success by going beyond simple academic regiments and incorporating a focus on character building and promoting participation among its students—not just in school but also in the community. The smallest school on our list with only 239 students, Gulf Stream nurtures big dreams among its pupils. Graduates go on to attend and thrive at many of southern Florida's top private preparatory high schools (as well as many more esteemed academies out of state), including the four mentioned on this list.